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Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Psalm 60: Christ our strong tower

Psalm 60 is the second of the psalms set for Wednesday's at Matins, and reminds us to put our trust in Christ. St Alphonsus Liguouri comments on it that:

Full of confidence in the power of God, the psalmist prays to him to come to his aid. St. Jerome and St. Hilary say that all afflicted souls find here an excellent prayer which they may recite in time of tribulation.

9 So will I sing a psalm to your name for ever and
ever: that I may pay my vows from day to day.

Cassiodorus comments on the title of the psalm as follows:

...All know that unto the end indicates the Lord saviour, for that has now become sufficiently clear by explanation of it.

In the hymns is a Greek expression and means "in praises", for the whole psalm will ring forth Christ's praises. David denotes the Lord Saviour Himself, whose praise the Christian people, spread through the whole world, sings.

In terms of its content he says:

In the first part of the psalm the faithful people from the ends of the earth begs that its prayer be heard, so that in persevering in holy Church it may be protected by the covering of her wings. In the second part it gives thanks that the loving God of pity has bestowed His inheritance on the just, and has consecrated His name for eternal glory. Hence it promises to render continual praise to the Lord...